Zonitoschema spp. cf. gibdoana ( Kaszab, 1956 )

Batelka, Jan & Bologna, Marco A., 2014, A review of the Saharo-Sindian species of the genus Zonitoschema (Coleoptera: Meloidae), with description of new species from Tunisia, Yemen and Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54, pp. 241-268 : 250-257

Zonitoschema spp. cf. gibdoana ( Kaszab, 1956)

( Figs 17, 18 , 25 )

Zonitopsis gibdoanus Kaszab, 1956: 631 .

Zonitoschema gibdoana: KASZAB (1983: 187 , partim); BOLOGNA & TURCO (2007: 30 , partim).

Material examined. (a) OMAN: 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( JBCP), Dhofar prov. Wadi Al Mughsayl , 16°52ʹN, 53°43ʹE, 120 m, 10.iv.2014, J. Halada lgt.; 4 spec. ( MBCR), Dhofar prov., Wadi Al Mughsayl , 8/ 23.ix.2010, 16°52ʹN− 53°44ʹE, M. Snížek lgt . SAUDI ARABIA: 1 ♀ ( NHMB), Wadi Dhiyan, 1050 m, 19°50ʹN, 41°28ʹE, [no date], W. Büttiker lgt. [identified as Z. gibdoana by Z. Kaszab].

(b) SAUDI ARABIA: 1 ♂ ( NHMB), N. Hedjaz, 17 km S of Khaybar [= Wadi Sulaym , 25°36ʹN, 39°16ʹE (ABO- -KHATWA et al. 1980: 9)], 680 m, 26.iv.1979 [identified and published as Z. gibdoana by KASZAB (1983: fig. 62)].

(c) SAUDI ARABIA: 1♀ ( NHMB), Wadi Juwa [probably Asir Mts., 15 km east of Abu Arish, 17°03ʹN, 42°58ʹE], 8.ii.1986, J. Grainger lgt.

Remarks. Specimens previously recorded or explicitly identified as Z. gibdoana ( Kaszab, 1956) or included in material identified like that, actually belong to a complex of species. After examination of the female holotype of Z. paolii Pic, 1927 (MZUF), we suspect that Z. gibdoana , described from Tanzania could be a synonym of Z. paolii . We maintain Z. gibdoana as a distinct species from eastern Africa, while specimens from other countries are assigned to other species (see below Z. iranica , Z. kaszabi sp. nov.), some of which are still undescribed. A comprehensive revision of the genus will clarify the taxonomy of this complex.

The female from Dhiyan (identified as Z. gibdoana by Z. Kaszab) and nine conspecific specimens from Oman differ from Z. gibdoana in wider temple, and in the pronotal disc very finely and very densely punctured ( Fig. 25 ). Male genitalia were examined; they are almost identical to that of Z. gibdoana . All specimens show more robust and longer bodies than in Z. iranica .

Although the male from Khaybar was identified as Z. gibdoana by Z. Kaszab, we doubt correctness of this identification, because of the different habitus, colouration and rugosity of elytra, wider pronotum, longer antennae and darkened basal antennomeres I and II ( Figs 17, 18 ). Probably this specimen belongs to a distinct species.

The female from Juwa differs from Z. gibdoana in unique orange-yellow tibiae of all legs; no species of Zonitoschema have yellow tibiae except those whose femora are yellow too (see above Z. arabica sp. nov.).

All these three unidentified taxa differ from Z. iranica (see below) also in the more elongate mouthparts. Decision about their identity has to wait until more types of some African Zonitoschema become available.

Zonitoschema gibdoana was described from Tanzania, and was subsequently recorded from Chad, Gambia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan ( KASZAB 1983, BOLOGNA & TURCO 2007). Records from Chad, Saudi Arabia and Sudan actually refer to Z. iranica (see below) or to the undetermined species discussed above. Those from Gambia need confirmation. We studied specimens, assignable to Z. gibdoana as herein defined, from Kenya (genitalia of male from eastern Kenya, N of Nguni, Ngomeni (JBCP) are figured in Fig. 54 ), Northern Mozambique, Tanzania (the type country) and Zambia (all MBCR).

Figures

Figs 5–18. 5–9 – Zonitoschema sp. cf. pallidissima (Reitter, 1908) – male from Algeria: 5 – dorsal habitus; 6–8 labels; 9 – head, dorsal view. 10–14 – Z. oculatissima Peyerimhoff, 1929, female holotype: 10 – dorsal habitus; 11–13 labels; 14 – head, dorsal view. 15–16 – Z. rubricolor Pic, 1924 female from Saudi Arabia: 15 – dorsal habitus; 16 – head, dorsal view. 17–18 – Z. cf. gibdoana (Kaszab, 1956), male from Khaybar (Saudi Arabia): 17 – dorsal habitus; 18 – head, dorsal view. Not on the same scale.

Figs 22–27. Heads. 22–23 – Zonitoschema iranica Kaszab, 1959 from Oman: 22 – male; 23 – female. 24 – Z. oculatissima Peyerimhoff, 1929 from Chad. 25 – Z. cf. gibdoana (Kaszab, 1956) from Dhiyan (Saudi Arabia). 26–27 – Z. chourriba sp. nov.: 26 – male paratype; 27 – female paratype. Not on the same scale.

Figs 50–59. Male genitalia, lateral view (57 and 59, dorsal view). 50–51 – Z. genicularis (Wellman, 1910): 50 – specimen from Zambia; 51 – specimen from Somalia (parameres only). 52 – Z. iranica Kaszab, 1959 from Israel. 53 – Z. pallidissima (Reitter, 1908). 54 – Z. gibdoana (Kaszab, 1956) from Kenya.55 – Z. sp. from Kenya (a species similar in colouration to Z. sp. cf. genicularis (Wellman, 1910)). 56–57 – Zonitoschema arabica sp. nov., holotype. 58–59 – Zonitoschema chourriba sp. nov., paratype. Not to the same scale.